Lyapunov based reference model of tension control in a continuous strip processing line with multi-motor drive

The article describes design and experimental verification of a new control structure with reference model for a multi-motor drive of a continuous technological line in which the motors are mutually mechanically coupled through processed material. Its principle consists in creating an additional information by introducing a new suitable state variable into the system. This helps to achieve a zero steady-state control deviation of the tension in the strip. Afterwards, the tension controller is designed to ensure asymptotic stability of the extended system by applying the second Lyapunov method. The realized experimental measurements performed on a continuous line laboratory model confirm the advantages and correctness of the proposed control structure: it is simple, stable, robust against changes of parameters, invariant to operating disturbances and ensures a high-quality dynamics of the controlled system prescribed by the reference model. To demonstrate effectiveness of the design, the performance of the controller was compared with properties of a standard Proportional Integral Derivative/Proportional Integral (PID/PI) controller designed in frequency domain

Observer-based adaptive sliding mode fault-tolerant control for the underactuated space robot with joint actuator gain faults

summary:An adaptive sliding mode fault-tolerant controller based on fault observer is proposed for the space robots with joint actuator gain faults. Firstly, the dynamic model of the underactuated space robot is deduced combining conservation law of linear momentum with Lagrange method. Then, the dynamic model of the manipulator joints is obtained by using the mathematical operation of the block matrices, hence the measurement of the angular acceleration of the base attitude can be omitted. Subsequently, a fault observer which can accurately estimate the gain faults is designed, and the estimated results are fed back to the adaptive sliding mode fault-tolerant controller. It is proved that the proposed control algorithm can guarantee the global asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system through the Lyapunov theorem. The simulation results authenticate the effectiveness and feasibility of the control strategy and observation scheme

Mechatronics of systems with undetermined configurations

This work is submitted for the award of a PhD by published works. It deals with some of the efforts of the author over the last ten years in the field of Mechatronics. Mechatronics is a new area invented by the Japanese in the late 1970's, it consists of a synthesis of computers and electronics to improve mechanical systems. To control any mechanical event three fundamental features must be brought together: the sensors used to observe the process, the control software, including the control algorithm used and thirdly the actuator that provides the stimulus to achieve the end result. Simulation, which plays such an important part in the Mechatronics process, is used in both in continuous and discrete forms. The author has spent some considerable time developing skills in all these areas. The author was certainly the first at Middlesex to appreciate the new developments in Mechatronics and their significance for manufacturing. The author was one of the first mechanical engineers to recognise the significance of the new transputer chip. This was applied to the LQG optimal control of a cinefilm copying process. A 300% improvement in operating speed was achieved, together with tension control. To make more efficient use of robots they have to be made both faster and cheaper. The author found extremely low natural frequencies of vibration, ranging from 3 to 25 Hz. This limits the speed of response of existing robots. The vibration data was some of the earliest available in this field, certainly in the UK. Several schemes have been devised to control the flexible robot and maintain the required precision. Actuator technology is one area where mechatronic systems have been the subject of intense development. At Middlesex we have improved on the Aexator pneumatic muscle actuator, enabling it to be used with a precision of about 2 mm. New control challenges have been undertaken now in the field of machine tool chatter and the prevention of slip. A variety of novel and traditional control algorithms have been investigated in order to find out the best approach to solve this problem